Aragon Wins Key Legal Ruling Against Medivation

Aragon Has Exclusive Rights to ARN-509

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Jan 4, 2013) - Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., a leader in developing drugs for hormone driven cancers, today announced that on December 20, 2012, the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, granted summary adjudication in favor of Aragon on its Complaint in Intervention against Medivation, holding that Aragon has "exclusive rights to the A-Series compounds," including ARN-509.

On May 3, 2011, Medivation Inc. had filed a breach of contract claim against the Regents of the University of California claiming rights to a series of anti-androgen compounds. These compounds were exclusively licensed to Aragon Pharmaceuticals in 2009. They include Aragon's lead asset, ARN-509, a novel second-generation anti-androgen currently in a Phase II clinical trial for advanced castration-resistant prostate cancer. Judge John E. Munter rejected Medivation's claims to any interest in ARN-509 and affirmatively held that Aragon owns the exclusive rights to the A-Series compounds.

"We are pleased with the recent Court decision upholding our rights to ARN-509 and remain committed to developing innovative treatments to help patients suffering from prostate cancer," said Richard A. Heyman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Aragon Pharmaceuticals.

About Aragon Pharmaceuticals

Aragon Pharmaceuticals is focused on the development of 2nd generation anti-hormonal agents for hormone-driven cancers. The company's portfolio of small molecule therapeutics is based upon pioneering research identifying key molecular events that lead to drug resistance to traditional anti-hormonal therapies. This work has broad implications for the development of breakthrough medicines for prostate cancer and other hormone-dependent cancers such as breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer. Aragon Pharmaceutical's most advanced compound, ARN-509, is an androgen receptor antagonist that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 trial in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer. In addition, Aragon Pharmaceuticals has a selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) for hormone-sensitive and hormone-resistant estrogen receptor positive breast cancer targeted to begin clinical trials in 2013. Aragon is a private company founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, visit